Monthly Archives: June 2014

Check out this Great Opportunity!

Some of our farmer friends, Noah Jackson and Mary Bricker are in need of farm help. This diversified operation is in it’s first season, with much to develop and daily tasks to keep up on. Unfortunately Noah was injured on the job, leaving Mary to tend to the farm including the animals, vegetables, berries, etc. They are offering up a part time position of 30 hours a week with very flexible hours – three day work options are possible. Housing and food available for the right candidate and a stipend of $800. While much of the work is traditional fieldwork and animal care, some of it is nontraditional — helping with market and coordinating with other farmers. This will be a great learning experience and there may be additional income opportunities from farmers nearby.

Volunteer For The Day on Monday, July 7th!

If you would rather just help for a day or two, head on down and help them grow their dream! We will be setting up a carpool for folks interested in volunteering on Monday, July 7th. In exchange for volunteering, you will receive lunch and some vegetables as well as unlimited coffee (roasted by them!) If there are other days that work better for you, please contact them directly to let them know. Our farmer friends appreciate any help available! Call Kate at 406.273.8740 or Mary at 406.375.7532

Freedom Gardens at the Missoula County Fairgrounds is dedicated to teaching sustainable and innovative farming techniques while producing fresh food for the community all throughout Montana’s seasons. Since 2013, this small organization has been working tirelessly to transform three acres of gravel and weeds into a productive and sustainable garden area.

Freedom Gardens seeks to strengthen Missoula’s resilience by teaching farmers sustainable agricultural practices. Despite the many challenges, they are dedicated to enhancing our local food system as well as our community and ensuring productive growing operations in the future. So far they have installed 450 square feet of cold frames suitable for growing food 8 months out of the year, a gravity fed drip irrigation system, and a terraced garden area. They are working closely with many partners and seeking permanency with the Fairgrounds. Freedom Gardens seeks to instill a legacy of connecting Montanan’s to the soil – ensuring their ability to raise food in this cold, arid climate.

Get Involved Every Wednesday!

This summer they will be busy tackling projects to expand their growing space, develop teaching curriculum and networking with community members. They can use your help! We will be looking for volunteers to help make this dream a reality. Please consider joining us every Wednesday from 6:00 – 8:00 pm for a weekly volunteer project at the gardens.

Join Us on Wednesday, June 25th!

Come and join the fun during the first of many volunteer workdays at Freedom Gardens! We will meet at 6:00 pm at the Southwest corner of the Fairgrounds. To access the gardens, head East off of Russell St. towards the YMCA daycare. The first project will consist of pulling nails out of boards and doing some transplanting. Remember to dress for the weather, wear close toed shoes and bring gloves and any hammers or crowbars available to you. If you are interested in learning about how else to be involved, please contact Kate at volunteers@misoulacfac.org. Read more about this project on the Freedom Gardens Blog. We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday!

Jeff McLain – Volunteer of the Spring Season!

The work we do wouldn’t be possible without the help of our fabulous volunteers. While it’s hard to acknowledge the hard work of every volunteer, we have decided to highlight one volunteer of each season. Jeff McLain has been named our Volunteer of the Spring Season. As a freelance photographer and filmmaker, Jeff has shown enthusiasm and dedication to our work through the development of the Farmer Profile videos. His creative insight and high level of professionalism is greatly appreciated!

Here is what Jeff has to say about his experience as a volunteer with CFAC. “I chose to volunteer with CFAC because I feel that supporting agriculture is our best chance at fighting corporate agriculture and all the trouble that comes with it. I came in to the project not knowing a whole lot about farming beyond conventional wisdom. . . I was surprised to learn how farming can be as hard as one thinks – or how it can also be a good life, especially if one prioritizes enjoyment of the lifestyle as part of the equation.”

We are sure fortunate to have Jeff on our team! Please consider joining our efforts and learning new skills through a volunteer position with us.